Wiki source code of Simple sentences

Version 5.5 by Lizzie Bruce on 2019/05/21 09:25
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2 (((
3 Following this helps:
4
5 * **people in a hurry** – simply written content is easier to scan and absorb instantly
6 * **people who are stressed** – if you're anxious you find it harder to comprehend things
7 * **people who are multi-tasking** – if you're distracted it's hard to comprehend convoluted structures
8 * **cognitive impairments** – shorter, non-complex sentences carry less cognitive load
9 * **visual impairments** – short, simple sentences convey meaning in a smaller visual field
10 * **motor impairments** – clear, concise content is shorted so requires less navigation
11 )))
12
13 ==
14 Guidelines ==
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16 Short, simple sentences are better on the web than long, protracted prose with complex syntax. WCAG says: "using the clearest and simplest language appropriate is highly desirable."
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19 (% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H1.MakeyouraveragesentenceA015wordslong." %)
20 [[1. Make your average sentence 15 words long.>>doc:||anchor="#1"]]
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22 (% class="wikigeneratedid" id="H2.A0Avoidcomplexsentencestructures." %)
23 [[2. Avoid complex sentence structures.>>doc:||anchor="#2"]]
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25 (% class="wikigeneratedid" %)
26 [[Usability evidence>>doc:||anchor="#UESS"]]
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28
29 ----
30
31 == ==
32
33 === {{id name="#1"/}}1. Make your average sentence 15 words long. ===
34
35 The maximum sentence length for a good level of comprehension is 25 words. Split long sentences up into 2 or 3, or use bullet points.
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37 Oxford Guide to plain English, GOV.UK and linguists agree:
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39 * 15 word sentences are more likely to be comprehensible
40 * 25 words is a good maximum sentence length limit
41 * above 40 words sentences are hard to comprehend easily
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43
44 Example:
45
46 (% class="mark" %)This sentence is about 15 words long and is easy to understand. (%%)
47
48
49 === {{id name="#2"/}}2. Avoid complex sentence structures. ===
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51 They are less easy to comprehend quickly. Understanding them requires more cognitive effort than simple sentences.
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54 Complexity depends on:
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56 * number of clauses in a sentence, the more clauses the more complex it is
57 * distribution of associated words across the sentence – how easily can the brain 'parse a phrase': recognise, connect and comprehend words that together convey meaning
58
59
60 Example:
61 \\(% class="mark" %)"The red fox jumped over the gate." – easier to understand 
62 "The fox, which was red, over the gate jumped." – harder to understand
63
64
65 ----
66
67 == {{id name="#UESS"/}}Usability evidence: simple sentences ==
68
69 [[Oxford Guide to plain English>>https://global.oup.com/academic/product/oxford-guide-to-plain-english-9780199669172?cc=gb&lang=en&]] , Oxford University Press, 2013
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71 [[Writing for GOV.UK>>url:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-design/writing-for-gov-uk]], UK Government website
72
73 [['Sentence length: why 25 words is our limit'>>url:https://insidegovuk.blog.gov.uk/2014/08/04/sentence-length-why-25-words-is-our-limit/]], Inside GOV.UK, UK Government blog, 2014
74
75 [['Content design'>>url:https://contentdesign.london/book/]], Sarah Richards, 2017
76
77 [['Short sentences boost readability. Nearly 140 years of research proves it'>>https://www.wyliecomm.com/2018/08/short-sentences-boost-readability/]] A. Wylie, a collection of studies since 1880s, 2018
78
79 [['Indlish: The book for every English-speaking Indian'>>http://www.vivagroupindia.com/frmBookDetail.aspx?BookId=5020&Status=C]], J. Sanyal, 2006. Book.
80
81 [['The role of word difficulty and sentence length in text comprehension'>>https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED215330]], T. M. Duffy and P. K. U'Ren, 1982
82
83 [['The Influence of Semantics and Syntax on What Readers Remember'>>url:https://www.hcde.washington.edu/files/people/docs/Isakson_Spyridakis_Sem_Syn.pdf]], C. S. Isakson and J. H. Spyridakis, 1999
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85 [['How the brain attunes to sentence processing: Relating behavior, structure, and function'>>url:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4819595/]], A. Fengler, L. Meyer, A. D. Friederici, National Center for Biotechnology Information
86
87 [['Functional Analysis of Clause Complex in the Language of News Websites Texts: A Comparative Study of Two Articles'>>url:http://www.ijsrp.org/research-paper-0616/ijsrp-p5445.pdf]], F. M. S. Eid, International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 6, Issue 6, June 2016
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89 [[Reading Level>>url:https://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/meaning-supplements.html]], Understanding SC 3.1.5, WCAG, 2008
90
91 [['Readability Assessment of Internet-Based Consumer Health Information'>>url:http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/53/10/1310/tab-pdf]], T. M. Walsh and T. A. Volsko in Respiratory Care October 2008, 53 (10) 1310-1315
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93 [['The research basis of plain language techniques: Implications for establishing standards'>>url:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Karen_Schriver/publication/285927928_The_research_basis_of_plain_language_techniques_Implications_for_establishing_standards/links/5664c50208ae192bbf90aa85/The-research-basis-of-plain-language-techniques-Implications-for-establishing-standards.pdf]], K. Schriver, PhD, Dr. A. L. Cheek, M. Mercer, Center for Plain Language, November 20, 2008, Mexico City
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95 [['Readability Levels of Health-Based Websites: From Content to Comprehension'>>url:https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ851863.pdf]], M. Schutten, A. McFarland, PhD, International Electronic Journal of Health Education, 2009, 12:99-107
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97 [['Writing smaller'>>url:http://clarity-international.net/journals/63.pdf]], Clarity Journal no. 63, 2010
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99 [[Plain Language Commission style guide>>url:https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/aaf9e928/files/uploaded/PLCstyleguide25July2012.pdf]], 2012
100
101 [['Shorter Lines Facilitate Reading in Those Who Struggle'>>url:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0071161]], M. H. Schneps , J. M. Thomson, G. Sonnert, M. Pomplun, C. Chen, A. Heffner-Wong, 2013
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103 [['Towards a better measure of readability: Explanation of empirical performance results'>>url:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00437956.1989.11435805]], L. A. Olsen, R. Johnson, Taylor and Francis Group, 2015
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105 [['What is plain language?'>>url:https://plainlanguagenetwork.org/plain-language/what-is-plain-language/]], Plain Language Association International, 2015
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107 [[Text complexity, ATOS, and Lexile® Measures>>url:https://www.renaissance.com/products/practice/accelerated-reader-360/atos-and-text-complexity/]], Renaissance Learning, 2016
108
109 [['Understanding Plain English summaries. A comparison of two approaches to improve the quality of Plain English summaries in research reports.'>>url:https://researchinvolvement.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40900-017-0064-0]] E. Kirkpatrick, W. Gaisford, E. Williams, E. Brindley, D. Tembo, D. Wright, 2017
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111 [['How to use Yoast SEO: The readability analysis?'>>url:https://yoast.com/yoast-seo-readability-analysis/]] E. Toonen, Yoast, 2018
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113 [[The Crystal Mark standard>>url:http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/services/crystal-mark/7-the-crystal-mark-standard.html]] Plain English Campaign. Undated.
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116 ----
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118 (% class="box" %)
119 (((
120 See also:
121
122 * [[Plain English>>doc:Plain English.Plain English, simple sentences.WebHome]]
123 * [[Specialist terms>>doc:Plain English.Specialist terms.WebHome]]
124 * [[Law, medicine, money>>doc:Plain English.Medical.WebHome]]
125 * [[Words to avoid>>doc:Plain English.Words to avoid.WebHome]]
126 )))